Learn how to say Happy New Year in Japanese! Discover the proper greetings before and after January 1st and why timing matters in Japanese...
Japanese New Year: the Traditional Japanese Culture in Nenmatsu Nenshi
Explore Japanese New Year traditions like Osechi-ryori and Hatsumode. Discover cultural customs, year-end cleaning, and travel tips for the festive season....
New Year Shrine Visits in Japan: A Tour of First Prayers for Good Luck
Unveil the magic of Japan's Hatsumode (New Year's first shrine visit)! Discover top spots in Tokyo, Kyoto & Hokkaido to pray for luck, and...
Japanese Vacation System: The Substitute Holidays
Learn how Japan's substitute holidays work, including special rules for long weekends, sandwiched days, and rare exceptions. ...
Japanese Morning Dramas, An Introduction to the Asadora
Different countries have deliciously different approaches to television. When you hear the word, ‘sitcom’ you might think of 90s television from the US, with...
Do People Smoke in Japan?
In the past 30 years, the culture around tobacco has changed in big ways. Now that many countries recognize that second hand smoke has...
Ten Things to Be Aware of in Japanese Life
Discover 10 essential taboos in Japan to avoid cultural faux pas. Learn how to blend in, respect customs, and make your trip smoother and...
Tanabata Festival in Japan: History, Events & Travel Guide 2025
Discover Japan's Tanabata Festival—its romantic legends, colorful traditions, major events like Sendai, plus tips for an unforgettable summer trip....
What Is Japan’s Golden Week Holiday?
Golden Week in Japan is a holiday from late April to early May with four national holidays. Discover its origins, key dates, and top...
Japanese Summer Tradition: Cooling Off with Ghost Stories and Courage Test
As scorching summer engulfs Japan, how are you keeping cool? Are you comfortably lounging in an air-conditioned room or finding solace with just a...
What is the Japanese Word Toshi Onna and Toshi Otoko?
I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Japanese saying “Toshi otoko/Toshi onna(year man/year woman)”. Toshi otoko/Toshi onna refer to people who were born...
the Japanese Word “Oomisoka”. What Do People Do with the End of the Year in Japan?
If you’ve been following the news from Japan, you should have seen the term “大晦日(Oomisoka)” a lot lately. What exactly does it mean? Is...
Beautiful aliases of Japanese months
Japan is a country that loves “beauty”. For the ordinary red, yellow and blue, they have such names as “akane”, “yamabuki” and “ruri”, and...
A Shrine For Breakups? Cutting Ties at an Engiri Jinja in Japan
There are times in life when past relationships weigh us down. For whatever reason, we just can’t seem to move forward and grow away...
What is the green leaf you often see in Japanese sushi and bento?
If you have paid attention to Japanese food, you may find a very interesting thing: in sushi and Japanese bento (such as ekiben, the...
Resident Evil 2 Cafe Collaboration in Akihabara through February 2019
The wildly popular game, Resident Evil 2 is coming alive in cafe form! Capcom has done these collaborations before, but this time, to commemorate its...
The Secret Behind The Cherry Blossom: Blooms and Berries
In the fall every year, the sakura tree forms its little green buds, which recede into brown in the winter before emerging...
2019: The Year of the Pig in Japan
It’s 2019! Happy New Year! First, we’d like to say thank you to all our followers who have read our articles throughout 2018, and...